Ashrita Furman prepares to break a world record in backwards bowling in 2005. Reuters/Seth Wenig

The INSIDER Summary:

• Ashrita Furman has broken hundreds of world records.• He's motivated by his former meditation teacher.• He also has a lifelong love for the Guinness Book of World Records.• Here's a look at some of his wildest feats of endurance, speed, and sheer willpower.

When Ashrita Furman was growing up in Queens, New York, he was more brainy than brawny. He was the junior high valedictorian who excelled in school but never in sports.

But today, at age 62, he's the picture of athletic prowess. He can ride a unicycle while juggling, walk around with a lawnmower balanced on his chin, and jump on a pogo stick for hours. In an interesting turn of events, Ashrita Furman has become something of a super athlete — all in the name of breaking as many Guinness World Records as possible.

"I had been a fan of the Guinness since I was a kid," he told INSIDER. "I used to carry it around with me. But I never lost that — being enamored of the book. I just love that idea of being the best in the world at something — and not as an ego thing, but as a goal to attain."

Furman broke his first record in 1979, and now estimates he's broken around 630 of them since. He still holds about 207 of those records — including the world record for holding the most world records, of course.

Here's a look at how — and why — Furman turned record-breaking into a lifelong pursuit.

And he's got a taste for daring stunts, too. For example: Extinguishing blowtorches with nothing but his tongue.

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Furman was deeply inspired by the teachings of a controversial spiritual leader named Sri Chinmoy.

Chinmoy in 2007.
AP/Mary Altaffer

The Indian-born Chinmoy came to New York City in 1964 and opened up a meditation center, advocating world peace and harmony. Soon, his flock of devotees spread across the world. Chinmoy rubbed elbows with respected world leaders like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu — but many former disciples have alleged that he was abusive.

But Furman is also spurred on by a lifelong love of the Guinness Book of World Records. "I remember reading it under the covers at night," he recalled.

Reuters/Zainal Abd Halim

In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records was conceived the same year that Furman was born — 1954. The idea was the brainchild of a Guinness Brewery executive who wished there was a reference book for settling friendly pub arguments.

And he never lets failure get him down. "I’m not after success," he told INSIDER. "I'm after progress."

That fierce determination helped him set a record for fastest marathon while juggling — even though he had a bug in his eye for the last eight miles of the race.

Reuters/Max Rossi

"I did [it in] three hours and 23 minutes and I was really, really happy," Furman told INSIDER. "And I was very, very nervous because [...] there's this pressure of failing. But in the end it's really not about that. 'Cause even if I had failed I would have just tried again."

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He's put his body through a lot — including 12 miles of continuous somersaulting during which he stopped frequently to vomit.

Reuters/Max Rossi

He had decided to break the record for consecutive somersaults by rolling along 12 miles of roads in Massachusetts.

"I had been training on a track and [the real course] wasn't flat. It was hilly and it completely threw off my equilibrium," Furman said. " I'll tell you — it was a rough battle."

But Furman broke the record that day, completing 8,341 forward rolls one after the other.

Luckily, his injuries — including a spear wound sustained while catching spears underwater —have been few.

"[A] spear did actually go through my hand," he told INSIDER. "Not through, but almost all the way through."

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His fame doesn't get him any special treatment from the folks at Guinness.

In 2005, he set a record for backward bowling, scoring 160 in a single game.
Reuters/Seth Wenig

Just like all other applicants, Furman has to make sure all his attempts are recorded on video and done in the presence of official witnesses. And he still has to wait about 6 months for Guinness to review each record-breaking attempt.

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Furman spends his days meditating, working at his health food store, and training for his next big attempt.

Furman did squat thrusts while riding an elephant in 2007.
AP/Apichart Weerawong